24 March 2013 2:31 PM

If you're planning an Easter trip to London, imagine having your own personal expert to advise on the best place for fish and chips, top things to do for free, unusual museums - or wild and wacky suggestions such as fantastic places to fly a kite. Put yourself in the hands of The Best Of London: The City's All-Time Greats And Best-Kept Secrets (Crimson Books, £7.99), which tells you everything you need to know about having fun in the capital. Once you've done the Tower of London and Madame Tussauds, this is the book that will take you to the really interesting places. To order your copy for £7.49 with free p&p, call the Mail Book Shop on 0844 472 4157 or visit mailbookshop.co.uk.

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22 March 2013 3:29 PM

Most of us will remember school trips as a visit to the local museum accompanied by soggy sandwiches.

But airline Monarch is giving youngsters the chance to charter one of its jets for what could be the most memorable of days out.

The carrier has launched an appeal to 'make flying fun' and is asking for headteachers to nominate their school in a bid to win an exciting trip by answering a few questions online.

Secondary schoolchildren in years 7-9, aged 11-14 and anywhere in the UK, are eligible and 200 pupils from three winning schools will enjoy one of three European adventures.

The first, which leaves from Manchester, will help young students
discover the 'real' story of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in Verona,
with an in-flight acting lesson on the way to the city.

Trip number two will depart from London Gatwick, bound for the Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen, Germany, with a lesson in the local language to keep passengers amused.

The third group of schoolchildren will jet off from Birmingham and spend the day exploring the city of Dubrovnik after a history lesson at 30,000 feet.

Monarch has released a video to publicise the appeal featuring six-year-old Pixie Davies, pictured top. You can watch the video below.

"Hi kids," says Pixie, "do you ever wake up in the morning wishing your day at school would be a little more exciting? I do. Well here's your chance to make that happen and make learning fun."

She adds: "It will be just like the best history and geography lesson you have ever had."

“We all remember what it was like to be a child and the excitement that came with flying, so we’re proud to be promoting our campaign that ‘puts the fun back into flying’ for everyone," said Kevin George, managing director, Monarch Airlines.

"All schools that enter the competition will be considered and we are looking forward to receiving lots of entries.”

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14 March 2013 10:55 AM

The beautification of London's King's Cross continues with the news that the Grade II-listed Great Northern Hotel, the capital's first railway hotel, is to re-open following a £40million renovation.

The hotel, which opened in 1854, was originally part of a new breed of hotels close to railway stations that were designed to provide a decent night's sleep for weary travellers.

Behind the refurbishment of the 91-room hotel is Jeremy Robson, who was determined to preserve the buildings Italianate features. He says: "I saw the quality in the original architecture and realised what a careful renovation could contribute to the major regeneration being undertaken at King's Cross. The hotel has an enchanting beauty and enjoys the most spectacular of locations."

Robson isn't kidding when he talks of the fabulous setting. The Great Northern Hotel sits just 18 metres from the Eurostar terminal.

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03 March 2013 12:46 PM

If I could wind back the clock to when I was studying Wuthering Heights for my English A-level, I would pay a visit to Haworth, the home of the Brontë sisters.

If you want to understand their writings, a trip to the West Yorkshire parsonage - now a fabulous museum - is a must.

For anyone who can't get there, The Brontës At Haworth (Frances Lincoln, £14.99) is a good alternative. In words and pictures, the book brings the Haworth story to life. Just reading it has made me search out my battered old copy of Wuthering Heights.

To order your copy for £12.49 with free p&p, call the Mail Book Shop on 0844 472 4157 or visit mailbookshop.co.uk.